Hope everyone is well. My wife and I (and another couple) will be spending three days in Marbella and three days in Sevilla in early May. Accommodations have been locked down, but at this point, the rest of the trip is a blank slate.
Looking for outstanding food and wine recommendations in each location. We probably won’t end up making the day trip from Seville to Jerez, but we are interested in (but not so knowledgeable about) sherry, so any tasting rooms or other suggestions are welcome.
In Seville, we will be looking to strike a balance between traditional (i.e. tapas) and modern.
Just back from five nights in Seville. Great eating city. If you like product-driven restaurants, check out Jaylu. Solid wine list, excellent jamon (truly), and great seafood. Nothing modern about the place. Lots of great tapas, but the newly renovated Taberna Zurbaran was probably our favorite. If you do end up in Jerez, try to get a visit at Valdespino… was awesome.
Meal of the trip was in Granada at Bar FM. One of the best seafood meals I’ve ever had. And if you end up in Malaga, check out Hermanos Alba… some pretty sick deals on their list… you can drink very well.
In Marbella, the Marbella Club is great. If not staying there, go there for dinner at The Grill and sit outside on the patio. You probably already know this, but the dining times are much later than in the US and restaurants have more energy post 10PM. Have fun. We loved Marbella and Sevilla.
Pizzeria Picasso in Puerto Banus is a good lunch option if you are doing some shopping (or window-shopping) and want to check out the yachts. I didn’t think the pizza was very good (we got plain but seems like toppings are the emphasis) but the chicken wings and risotto with seafood were both excellent.
Sea Grille at Puerto romano hotel had solid fish, overall great food. Less scene-y than the Nobu and other restaurants in the inland part of the hotel. Wine list is huge but mostly awfully priced (Keller RR for 450e!). The btg Spanish wines were good enough.
See my note elsewhere for Canabota in Seville.
Tradevo Central was a nice slightly modern tapas option if you want more of a table seating atmosphere. Sit outside in the very lively plaza (make a res).
In Marbella, if you like really fine Dining then Skina is a must - my wife and I have been there 2 years in a row and it absolutely deserves its 2 michelin stars, it really is stunning.
In Seville you should try Islamorada for modern style Tapas
Skina does have a fantastic wine list - Marco the owner is originally a Sommelier, so the wine list is extensive, with some good regional wines as well as international. The tasting menu is offered with standard or ‘grand cru’ pairings - last time we went I took the standard pairings, but took a glass of Unico with the meat course as an upgrade.
Seville there is plenty to do, eat and drink for three days, it really is a wonderful city - however Jerez is easy to get to my train, so if you really like Sherry its worth considering.
Marbella has a gorgeous old town (Skina is in the old town), however if you are really looking to maximise sightseeing I’m not sure there is enough for 3 days - Malaga really is worth a visit and although I don’t have any restaurant recommendations, it is supposed to be great from a culinary perspective as well. Its probably 40 minutes from Marbella and between 4 with a cab its probably not so much.
Thanks! This is an anniversary trip and we are planning to do Skina to celebrate. Love the idea of a 2-star restaurant being so tiny. And great to know that you can upgrade to a pour of the Unico. I will probably go that route as well. (We were in Ribera del Duero last summer and, unsurprisingly, couldn’t get into Vega Sicilia to taste, so I’d love the chance to try it.)
Our time in Marbella is meant to be more relaxing than anything else… I don’t think we are really trying to maximize sightseeing during this leg of the trip, as our time in Seville will be jam packed.
Thanks to all for the helpful feedback. Has anyone eaten at Aponiente? It is about 1:15 south of Seville. Looks incredible, and opportunities to eat at 3-star restaurants are rare, but trying to figure out whether it is worth making the trip.